August 2011

August 31, 2011

Today ZooBorns is proud to showcase our first Oncilla cub and first submission by Brazil's Mata Ciliar conservation organization. On August 16th, the Mata Ciliar Association received a call about an orphan Ocelot cub found near a controlled fire area (fire belt) in Brazil. Although the cub's mother most likely escaped the fire, she did not return for her cub. When staff arrived, they realized the cub was actually an Oncilla, a smaller relative of the Ocelot, and brought the cub back to their rehabilitation facility for hand-rearing. Only two months old, the cub is a healthy male. Staff named him Tost. Controlled burns for agricultural lands are one of the main causes of injured animals throughout Brazil.

The Mata Ciliar Association operates the largest feline conservation center in Brazil and focuses on conservation of the eight native species of felines in the region. The center provides research, education and conservation support in Brazil and twenty other countries.

Three orphaned Alaskan moose calves have a new home at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. One male and one female are twins born on May 17, 2011; the other female was born Jun. 3, 2011. The calves were rescued by Alaska Department of Fish and Game and taken to the Alaska Zoo where they were cared for until they were transported to the Columbus Zoo on Jul. 12, 2011. The calves are currently being bottle-fed and will join the Zoo’s other moose in the future.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Director Emeritus Jack Hanna spent time with them at the Alaska Zoo when they were just a few weeks old. Jack said, “We’re excited to assist in saving these moose and to bring them to central Ohio.”

“We will provide a great home for these calves and ensure our supporters will be able to see and learn about moose for many more years,” added Columbus Zoo and Aquarium President and CEO Dale Schmidt.

August 30, 2011

Prague Zoo has welcomed its first Alaskan or Dall Sheep lamb. The birth is relatively rare for zoos in general. While the fluffy white lamb's sex is as yet undetermined, if it is male, it will grow long curled horns. The new lamb is playful and able to spring about with dexterity, even at this young age. Its wild cousins use these skills to navigate the rugged and inhospitable terrain of the Alaskan wilderness.

On June 3, one tiny Jaguar cub was welcomed into the world by The Philadelphia Zoo. Kanga, the Zoo’s 10 year-old female, is the mother. The baby is the first offspring for Jutai, the Zoo’s 7-year-old male jaguar, who came to the Philadelphia Zoo in 2007 after being rescued as an orphan in Belize.

Jaguar cubs are essentially helpless, and in those early days Kanga was in constant physical contact with her cub from the moment it was born, caring for and feeding it. The first 72 hours of the cub’s life are the most critical and so the cub was monitored closely by the Zoo’s animal and veterinary staff via video (see below). When they finally were able to get close enough to determine the gender they learned it was a male. They've named him Lucha.

Photo Credit: Philadelphia Zoo

Below is how the keepers watched as Mom Kanga cared for tiny Lucha back in June. The video below just following shows Lucha taking his first steps outside into the habitat with his mother, just a few days ago.

August 29, 2011

Meet Swiss, a tiny Ringtail Possum orphan being looked after by her new surrogate mum and elephant Keeper Bobby-Jo at Australia's Taronga Zoo. Swiss and her sister Miss both came in to care after a good Samaritan found them. Vets at Taronga’s Wildlife Hospital think Swiss fractured her wrist when her mother died, but with a tiny splint on her wrist, the two are doing well in Bobby-Jo’s care. Follow Swiss and other Taronga Zoo critters on their Facebook page.

In the wild, Ringtail Possums live in communal nests where they sleep by day and socialize by night.

There's never a dull moment for these cuddling baby Coatis (AKA Brazilian Aardvarks!), photographed earlier this summer at Marwell Wildlife Park by Danielle Connor. A total of 5 baby Coati call Marwell home and as you can see, they spend much of their time wrestling and rough housing in their exhibit. Coatis are members of the Racoon family and although few scientific population studies have been made in recent years, their numbers appear to be in decline due to environmental destruction in their native Central and South America.

This striking zebra foal was born at South Australia’s Monarto Zoo on August 7 in the early hours of the morning. It’s a little girl and her keepers say they are pleased with her progress. She is nursing well, looking strong and has lots of confidence.

On August 7, in the early hours of the morning, the foal’s mum, Kenya, gave birth in the night yard with plenty of company -- she was surrounded by the rest of the dazzle (a collective noun for zebras). This is Kenya’s second foal.

She has quickly become a favorite at Monarto Zoo, and she needs a name! All who wish to make a name suggestion can enter it by clicking HERE.

August 26, 2011

Three Cheetah cubs were born to female, Uria and male, Jack in July at the UK's Colchester Zoo. Male Cheetah, Jack, joined the Colchester Zoo's collection in March 2011 to pair with Colchester's resident female Uria on a recommendation from the EEP breeding co-ordinator for this species, which has resulted in a successful mating and birth of three healthy cubs!

Photo credits: Colchester Zoo

The three cubs have remained under the watchful eye of their mother and keepers, and have been sexed as two females and one male but are yet to be named. Their keepers have been keeping a close eye on the new arrivals with weighing sessions to ensure that the cubs continue to gain weight to ensure good health and wellbeing. The trio are unlikely to be seen over the summer period as they will remain within the den whilst they develop under the close care of Uria, their mother, but it is hoped that the new arrivals will make an appearance within the autumn months.

In the past, Uria has been temporarily transferred from the collection in order to pair with breeding males in other zoos which has recently proved unsuccessful. The positive addition of Jack, our male cheetah, will hopefully allow the pair to continue to breed successfully in the future, helping to support the captive population of this species.

The newest addition to Busch Gardens’ Serengeti Plains was born on August 22: a female eland calf. Weighing in at 50 pounds, this girl will not stay little for long. Eland are the largest of the antelope species, with adult females weighing around 1,000 lbs.

Even with their bulky stature, eland antelope have a great adaptation: they can jump 8-10 feet straight up in the air from a standing position. Both males and females characteristically have thick, spiral horns, which can reach lengths of 3-4 feet. But to protect the mother, the calf doesn’t have horns at birth; her full set will grow in after about two years. She is now happily nursing and growing.

The Serengeti Plain’s eland herd now numbers 11 antelope, with this calf being the second to be born this season. The other female calf, which was born just over a month ago on July 17, is already twice her size.

August 25, 2011

Recently confirmed to be one male and one female, the nearly 8-week-old Sumatran Tiger cubs at Zoo Atlanta have been named Sohni (female) and Sanjiv (male). The cubs’ sexes were determined during a veterinary checkup on August 17.

The monikers were selected by Zoo donor and former Board of Directors member Larry Westbrook, who named the cubs for his grandchildren. Sohni (SOHnee) means “beautiful,” while Sanjiv (SahnJEEV) has a number of meanings, among them “love,” “long life,” and “reviving.”

The newly-named cubs were given brief physical exams on August 17, along with their first vaccinations. Sanjiv weighed 12.25 pounds; his slightly smaller sister weighed 10.84 pounds. Sohni and Sanjiv were then returned to their mother, who continues to provide excellent care in two off-exhibit indoor dens.

Photo credits: Zoo Atlanta

Dont miss the short video below!

Guests can currently see Sohni and Sanjiv live on camera from the Tiger/Sun Bear Terrace at Zoo Atlanta, as well as on Tiger Cub Cam. Tiger Cub Cam will be available 24/7 on zooatlanta.org until the cubs make their debut in early September.